Combination cap for containers



Oct. 11, 1966 c. F. MILLER 3,278,096

COMBINATION CAP FOR CONTAINERS Filed Dec. 28, 1964 United States PatentOfi ice 3,278,096 Patented Oct. 11, 1966 3,278,096 COMBINATION CAP FORCONTAINERS Christian F. Miller, Chicago, Ill., assignor to FormoldPlastics, Inc., Blue Island, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec.28, 1964, Ser. No. 421,467 Claims. (Cl. 222521) The present inventionrelates to new and useful improvements in a dispensing cap assembly forcontainers.

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of two-partdispensing cap wherein the parts may be assembled together as a unit andapplied as such to a container and then relatively shifted to open orclose a dispensing opening,

The two-part dispensing cap includes an outer cap member adapted to besecured to the neck of a container and an inner cap part initiallyassembled in captive fashion within the outer cap part and thentransferred to a mounting position interiorly of the neck of thecontainer when the cap assembly is attached to the container. When thusassembled to the neck of the container, the outer cap part may berotated a partial turn, more or less, with respect to the inner cap partso as to shift the outer cap part outwardly with respect to the neck ofthe container. This outward shifting of the outer cap part serves toopen a dispensing opening provided between adjacent surfaces of theinner and outer cap parts. The inner cap part may be attached interiorlyof the neck of the container by an extended frictional surface and maybe engaged with a portion of the outer cap part through a substantiallyreduced frictional surface permitting the outer cap part to be axiallyshifted relative to the neck of the container without correspondinglyshifting the inner cap part.

With such a dispensing cap, the two cap parts may be assembled togetherat the point of manufacture and then assembled as a unit to a customercontainer with its contents.

In the accompanying drawing:

. FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of the outer cap attached to the neck ofthe container and with the inner cap shown in full lines;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the two cap parts before they arefrictionally associated with one another;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the inner cap part;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the position ofthe cap parts with the dispensing opening closed;

FIG. 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary view showing the dispensingopening closed with the configuration of the sealing surfaces of theinner and outer cap parts; and

FIG. 6 is a vew, similar to FIG. 5, showing the cap parts in positionfor dispensing the contents of the container.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, and particularlyat this time to FIGS, 1 and 2, the container 10 may be of the rigid typeor of a plastic squeeze type from which the contents may be dispensed byshaking, pouring, or extruded by squeezing, as the case may be. Ineither type of container, there is provided a neck portion 12 havingexternal threads 14 of bayonet or other suitable type of cap securingmeans. As shown in FIG. 2, the dispensing cap includes two parts, anouter cap member 16 and an inner cap member 18.

With continued reference to FIG. 2, the outer cap 16 is provided with atop closing portion 20 having a centrally disposed upstandingfrusto-conical portion 22 terminating in a dispensing opening 24.Beneath the conical portion 22, there is a depending skirt portion 26aligned with the opening 24. The outer skirt portion 28 is provided withinternal threads 30 or other suitable types of securing means forcooperation with the complemental securing means 14 on the neck of thecontainer,

The inner cap member 18 is provided with a laterally extendingperipheral flange 32 adapted to rest on the lip 11 of the neck 12 of thecontainer. The inner edge of the flange 32 merges with a peripheraldepending wall portion 34 which, in turn, merges with an inwardlyinclined wall portion 35 which terminates in an inwardly extending wallportion 36. This inwardly extending wall portion 36 terminates in avertically extending wall 38 which provides a passage therein andthrough which the contents of the container may be dispensed. The upperedge portion of the wall 38 includes an outwardly extending portion 40of quite limited vertical extent. Above this portion 40, the outersurface of the wall 38 is tapered inwardly, as at 42. The upper end ofthe wall portion 38 also includes a pair of strut portions 44 extendingupwardly therefrom and carrying an integral valve or plug member 46 tocooperate with the dispensing opening 24 in the wall portion 22 of theouter cap member.

At the point of manufacture of the cap assembly, the inner cap member 18is frictionally assembled within the skirt 28 of the outer cap member 16by inserting the wall portion 38 of the inner cap member within theskirt portion 26 of the outer cap member to substantially the positionshown in FIG. 4. In this position, the projecting portion 40 of the wall38 frictionally engages the adjacent portion of the skirt 26 to hold thetwo cap members in assembled position at the point of manufacture of thecap members. In this position, there is a space 48 provided between thetapered surface 42 on the wall portion 38 of the adjacent inner surfaceof the conical wall portion 22 by reason of engagement between adjacentsurfaces of the plug member 46 and the opening 24.

The internal surface of the dispensing opening 24 is inclined to thevertical and may be relatively inclined with respect to the adjacentinner wall surface of the conical portion 22, as more particularly shownin FIGS. 4, 5, and 6. The outer surface of the plug or valve member 46is complementally inclined, as also shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, thusproviding cooperating seating surfaces closing the dispensing opening.When the assembled cap members are to be associated'with a container atthe customer source, the parts will assume the positions shown in :FIGS.1 and 4. Thus, the depending wall portion 34 on the inner cap memberprovides an extensive vertical surface of frictional contact with theadjacent inner surface of the container neck and the outward flange 32of the inner cap member rests on the lip 11 of the neck of thecontainer. Engagement between the flange portion 40 and the skirt 26provides a seal against escape of the contents.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and *5, the complemental surfaces of the plug member46 and the wall of the dispensing opening 24 are in mutually seatedengagement closing the opening 24 and thus sealing the contents of thecontainer. The space '48 between the tapered wall 42 and the adjacentsurface of the conical wall 22 insures proper seating contact betweenthe surfaces of the plug member 46 andthe dispensing opening 24. Whenthe contents of the container are to be dispensed, the relativepositions of the plug member and the dispensing opening assumesubstantially the position of FIG. 6. In this dispensing position, theouter cap member has been given a partial turn to elevate the conicalwall portion 22 with respect to the plug 46 and thus provide dispensingclearance between the adjacent surfaces thereof. This outward movementof the outer cap member, without corresponding outward movement of theinner cap member, is accomplished by reason of the relatively lightfrictional contact between the projecting portion 40 on the inner capmember and 3 the skirt 26 on the outer cap member. In other words,relative sliding movement is permitted between these surfaces because ofthe extensive and heavier frictional contact between the wall portion 34on the inner cap member and the adjacent inner surface of the neck ofthe container. Additionally, if desired, the flange '32 on the inner capmight be adhered to the lip of the container neck.

The wall portions 65, 3 6 of the inner cap member provide someresiliency or spring action so that when the surfaces of the valve plugand the dispensing opening are in sealing engagement, the contactingforce acts through the struts 44 and the wall portion 38 to urge thewall portions 35, 36 inwardly of the container. Such inward position isshown by dotted lines a in FIG. 4. In doing so, the clearance space 48is maintained between the inner and the outer cap members, thus insuringproper closing of the dispensing opening without other contact betweenthe tapered wall 42 and the adjacent inner surface of the wall 22.Preferably, the cap members are dimensioned so that contact betweenseating surfaces of the valve plug and the wall of the dispensingopening is accomplished before the undersurface of the top closing wall20 engages the outward flange 32 on the inner cap member, thus insuringthe proper limited resilient movement of the wall portions 35, '36 whichreact to maintain pressure between the seating surfaces. It should befurther noted that the lower end of the sleeve portion 26 is spacedabove the lateral wall portion 36 but the seal between the flangeportion 40 and the sleeve portion 26 prevents escape of the contentsinto the area within the outer cap member and exteriorily of the sleeveportion. Thus, the contents are con-fined to the interior of thefrusto-conical portion 22 above the flange portion 40. When in the openposition of FIG. 6 for dispensing, the spaced strut portions 44 permitegress of the contents from the passage 38 to be discharged through thedispensing opening 24. The inner surface of the valve plug 46 istapered, as at 46a, to assist in directing the contents outwardly fordischarge through the space provided between the exterior surface of thevalve plug and the interior surface of the dispensing opening.

While one form of the invention has been shown for purposes ofillustration, it is to be clearly understood that changes in the detailsof construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims.

1 claim:

1. A dispensing cap assembly adapted for attachment to a container forcontrolled dispensing of the contents thereof; and comprising an outercap member having a top closing portion and a depending outer skirtportion with means thereon for attachment to complemental means on acontainer, said top closing portion having a dispensing openingtherethrough and an internal cylindrical portion concentric therewith,and an inner cap member with an outward flange to engage a container andhaving an outer peripheral wall portion dimensioned to engage an innersurface of a container with a predetermined degree of frictional surfacecontact and an inner upstanding peripheral portion within saidcylindrical portion providing an egress passage and having a narrowoutward flange portion engaging an adjacent portion of the surface ofsaid cylindrical portion with a lesser degree of frictional surfacecontact for permissive sliding movement and preassembly of the inner andouter cap members and sealing the interior of the cylindrical portionagainst the contents gaining access to space between the inner and theouter cap members when assembled with a container, the inner upstandingperipheral portion of the inner cap member and the outer peripheral wallportion thereof being joined by wall means disposed below the internalcylindrical portion of said outer cap member, the upper end of the innerupstanding peripheral portion of the inner cap member terminating inspaced relation to the adjacent surface of the outer cap member andhaving a valve plug disposed outwardly of the egress passage andpositioned by strut means connecting the valve plug and the innerupstanding peripheral portion, said valve plug and the bounding wall ofthe dispensing opening having complemental surfaces engaging one anotherand limiting inward movement of the outer cap member relative to thevalve plug when the dispensing opening is closed whereby to maintain thespace between the inner upstanding wall portion and the outer cap memberand prevent contact therebetween above said outward flange.

2. A dispensing cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wallmeans joining the upstanding peripheral portion and the outer peripheralwall portion of the inner cap member is resiliently depressible when thedispensing opening is closed by the force transmitted thereto throughthe strut means whereby to resiliently urge the valve plug outwardlyinto constantly tight sealing engagement with the bounding wall of thedispensing opening.

3. A dispensing cap assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein the wallmeans comprises a wall portion extending outwardly from said innerupstanding peripheral wall portion and an outwardly and upwardlyinclined wall portion joining the same to the said outer peripheral wallportion.

'4. A dispensing cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedispensing opening in the outer cap member is provided at the open endof upwardly and inwardly inclined wall means and wherein the outersurface of the upstanding peripheral portion is complementally inclinedand spaced therefrom.

5. A dispensing cap assembly as claimed in claim 1, in combination witha container having a neck portion with means thereon for engaging theattachment means on the depending outer skirt portion of said outer capmember.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,017,140 10/1935Worth 222521 3,010,619 11/1961 Gronemeyer 2 22-521 3,123,259 3/1964'Musel et al. 222-521 3,131,836 /196 Van Baarn 22 2- 52l 3,175,7413/1965 Porter 22252l 3,194,453 7/ 1965 Cherba 222-621 3,216,630 11/1965Stull 222521 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner.

WALTER SOBIN, Examiner.

1. A DISPENSING CAP ASSEMBLY ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT TO A CONTAINER FORCONTROLLED DISPENSING OF THE CONTENTS THEREOF; AND COMPRISING AN OUTERCAP MEMBER HAVING A TOP CLOSING PORTION AND A DEPENDING OUTER SKIRTPORTION WITH MEANS THEREON FOR ATTACHMENT TO COMPLEMENTAL MEANS ON ACONTAINER, SAID TOP CLOSING PORTION HAVING A DISPENSING OPENINGTHERETHROUGH AND AN INTERNAL CYLINDRICAL PORTION CONCENTRIC THEREWITH,AND AN INNER CAP MEMBER WITH AN OUTWARD FLANGE TO ENGAGE A CONTAINER ANDHAVING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL WALL PORTION DIMENSIONED TO ENGAGE AN INNERSURFACE OF A CONTAINER WITH A PREDETERMINED DEGREE OF FRICTIONAL SURFACECONTACT AND AN INNER UPSTANDING PERIPHERAL PORTION WITHIN SAIDCYLINDRICAL PORTION PROVIDING AN EGRESS PASSAGE AND HAVING A NARROWOUTWARD FLANGE PORTION ENGAGING AN ADJACENT PORTION OF THE SURFACE OFSAID CYLINDRICAL PORTION WITH A LESSER DEGREE OF FRICTIONAL SURFACECONTACT FOR PERMISSIVE SLIDING MOVEMENT AND PREASSEMBLY OF THE INNER ANDOUTER CAP MEMBERS AND SEALING THE INTERIOR OF THE CYLINDRICAL PORTIONAGAINST THE CONTENTS GAINING ACCESS TO SPACE BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTERCAP MEMBERS WHEN ASSEMBLED WITH A CONTAINER, THE INNER UPSTANDINGPERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE INNER CAP MEMBER AND THE OUTER PERIPHERAL WALLPORTION THEREOF BEING JOINED BY WALL MEANS DISPOSED BELOW THE INTERNALCYLINDRICAL PORTION OF SAID OUTER CAP MEMBER, THE